Long Awaited Release
Simon sat at his basement desk as he typed away on his computer in a numb trance. He slowly closed his eyelids to rest but as his look wandered towards a paper calendar he still kept on his wall, he made a quick double take and then lit up in surprise at the date. He gasped with a grin growing across his face and jumped out of his chair. Without thinking, Simon ran up the stairs, flung the door open and headed out into the kitchen where he was quickly met by Alvin who nearly crashed through the sliding door were it not for the fact that he remembered at the last minute to open it.
Alvin, breathing heavily: Simon! It's almost time! We gotta go!
Simon, catching his breath too: Yes! I'll get our transportation arranged. You get the chairs and snacks!
Alvin: On it!
Meanwhile at the Miller house, Eleanor and Theodore headed down the stairs into the living room, catching Brittany looking out to the backyard. She was left in a mess, looking dumbfounded, then noticed the two approaching her.
Eleanor, snarked: You look great.
Brittany, fixing her hair: Oh Har Har, very funny.
Eleanor: What happened?
Brittany: How should I know? One minute it was nice and quiet. Then the next, Alvin just ran out of here like a bat outta hell! I almost got thrown off the couch!
Eleanor: Oh, so you were both on the couch then? Together?
Brittany, blushing: The point is I have no idea what's got into him!
Theodore: Oh I can answer that!
Britt & Ellie: Oh?
Theodore nodded as he walked over to the fridge and gathered three bottles of water for each of them. Then he began to place other ingredients onto the counter.
Theodore: Tonight's game night!
Brittany: G-Game night?
Eleanor: I didn't know there was a season going on right now. Which sport?
Theodore: No sport. 'Steel Fists'! Alvin and Simon's played each of 'em since they were kids. Tonight at midnight the new one comes out!
Brittany and Eleanor smiled at each other as they rolled their eyes.
Brittany stirred a small spoon around in her bowl while she ate with Theodore and Eleanor in the living room.
Brittany: So, those two are going to be up all night to play that new game?
Theodore, as Eleanor blew on her food: Yup. Until they're done, they're pretty much dead to the world. And I make sure they don't starve.
Eleanor looked over to the setting sun, then back to the two.
Eleanor: They're getting in line about now, huh?
Theodore: Probably.
Eleanor: I could never do midnight premieres. At least not without a coffee or two.
Theodore: Simon's plans get better every time.
Brittany: You know, that does explain the other times where they just... go dark over the years.
Eleanor: I think it's cute! They get so excited that they forget to tell everyone.
Brittany: You'd think they would say something to us! How long have we known them?
Eleanor: Us? Or you?
Brittany blushed again: Anyway! It's just weird that after all this time... nothing.
Eleanor: It's not like we always tell each other our business. Besides, you probably just tuned it out when they did tell you.
Brittany, defensively pointing at Eleanor with her spoon: Listen you-
Then they looked over to Jeanette as she entered in from the backyard with her eyes down to her phone, holding a shopping bag.
Brittany: We'll settle this right now. Jeanette!
Jeanette nearly dropped her things from the sudden shout.
Jeanette: B-Brittany! I-uh-I-
Brittany: Relax, I just have a question for you.
Jeanette: Uhm, o-okay?
Brittany: Do you know where Simon is right now?
Jeanette, blushing: Oh! H-He's with Alvin waiting for 'Steel Fists'. R-Right?
Eleanor looked at Brittany with a cocked eyebrow, making Brittany red with embarrassment.
Brittany, panicked: D-Did he just tell you that or something?
Jeanette: N-No? It's the newest one. He and Alvin always stay up playing it. A-At least as long as I've known them.
Brittany groaned in defeat as Eleanor started to laugh at her sister.
Alvin kicked the door open as he and Simon lifted in a large box covered with tag-lines, special art and the logo of their game plastered on the front. They nearly lost balance when Simon loosened his grip to turn on the downstairs lights.
Alvin: Easy! Come on scrawny!
Simon: I can handle my end. Just b-be careful! This was their last collector's edition!
Alvin: It's through the door, just set it in the living room.
Simon: I know! It was my idea!
They struggled to bring the box over to the table but when they did at last, it was as gentle as possible. After taking a quick break Alvin tore open the box and took out the game case, giggling with excitement.
Alvin: I can't believe it's finally here!
Alvin began to rub the case across his cheek while Simon went for the television remote.
Alvin: Oh baby did you miss me?
Simon: It's been far too long, I never thought they'd make another one.
Alvin: Yeah! Last time we beat it at around, what, 9... 10 that morning? I bet we can half that time!
Simon: I concur. We had just become teenagers back then. But now we're older, wiser and far more skilled.
Simon turned on the television and placed Alvin's controller right beside him on the couch as he booted up the console.
Simon: I saw in a preview that there's even a 6 stage boss rush right before the final fight.
Alvin: Only 6? Talk about no challenge!
Simon watched his brother load the disc into the drive then run over to grab the food and drinks Theodore had left behind for them.
Simon: They'll most likely release more in post launch DLC.
Alvin: That's how they getcha these days. Criminal I tell ya.
Once it was all on the coffee table, the chipmunk jumped backwards onto the couch to grab his controller.
Alvin: Are you ready, 'Fistocrates'?
Simon: Oh I am, 'Fists of Steel-y Dan'.
Alvin: Then let's rock.
The television lit up and the title screen for the game hit them like a speeding semi truck. Then Alvin pressed start on the controller.
Theodore and the Chipettes stood over Simon and Alvin, snickering at the state they found them in. The two brothers were sunken into the couch completely asleep with their hands no longer even gripping the controllers, unaware that the four were standing between them and the game. The sun was up and the girls were already fully dressed and ready to start their day. Simon's glasses were barely holding onto his downward leaning head as Alvin snored with his head leaning back on the couch cushion.
Brittany, smirking: A-And you just found them like this?
Theodore, grinning: Yup! Out like a light.
Eleanor scrolled on her phone, then laughed harder.
Eleanor: Guys! I just checked online. They didn't even get past area 1!
Jeanette, holding back her giggling the most: It was over before it started.
Brittany: HA!
Theodore walked over and turned the game off, but not before taking a small piece of the food for himself.
Theodore: So much for their tradition.
Eleanor: They don't got it like they used to.
Eleanor helped Theodore while Jeanette walked over to move the controllers out of the way. Once Eleanor passed by, she quickly looked around to make sure no one watched. Her cheeks began to warm up. Once she was ready, she took Simon's glasses off for him and then ruffled his hair with a giggle. He shifted around a bit, surprising Jeanette, but to her relief he did not wake up. She folded the temples of the glasses in and placed them on the coffee table with a smile on her face. However, that smile immediately vanished and she turned pale the moment she saw Brittany looking right at her as she leaned over to grab some of the food off the coffee table. Brittany deviously grinned at her sister as Jeanette went from paper white to rose red in the face but instead of saying anything, she shrugged and continued on.
Eleanor: We must be getting old, huh guys?
Brittany: Ugh, please don't say that out loud. My hair is graying already at the sight of these two.
Editor's Note: Thank you everyone who has been checking these out and are so very patient. I've had, for a lack of better wording, a bit of a 'mental summer vacation' regarding my writing. I know anyone who reads might be more eager to get back to the main story. Have no fear! I am working on getting back to the main story very very soon, and if all goes well we will be back with a new main story interlude in the coming week as well as a few more musings in the meantime at first as they are less work but more Chipmunk fun and then in tandem with the main story later. Thank you again and I hope you enjoy.